Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Writer's Wednesday: Handling Editorial Input

Beginning writers quickly learn the value
of working with one or more critique partners.It helps to bounce your ideas off someone else, to have assistance when figuring
out which point of view works best in a particular scene, to let another set of
eyes catch blatant grammar problems.Critique
partners also come in handy when plotting a new work.They offer tension heightening hints and
throw additional roadblocks into the journey your characters follow.But by far, the largest benefit to working with
a critique partner is the way it prepares you for working with an editor.

Not that it’s one in the same.Not at all.

For one thing, a good critique partner will
surround their criticism with good news, kind of like bread surrounds the meat
in a sandwich.An editor might not have
the time or inclination to hold your hand.Most editors expect to deal with their authors on a professional level.And that means an author must listen to
constructive criticism and handle it.

How do you get to that point?Enter contests that give feedback.Join a critique group.Learn to listen when your critique partners
speak.You might not always follow that
advice.Say your critique partner suggests
your heroine should be a brunette instead of a blonde.You can brush aside her recommendation.Especially if your critique partner is a brunette
who sees herself as your title character.

Not so when working with an editor.An editor’s suggestions require careful
consideration.Unless you’re prepared to
defend your position with a truly good reason, you’ll make the changes he/she requests
because your editor has a finger on the market’s pulse.Their advice comes from a more informed
perspective.

My editor’s job is to know, not only what
is selling “out there” but what works within her publishing house, imprint or
line.My editor realizes, more than this
newly published author, that the bones of a story might be good while the
details—the setting, the backstory, the characterization—can be changed without
impacting the basic story.

That’s what happened to me when I was
developing the proposal for my third Harlequin American Romance.I woke up one morning convinced I’d “seen” my
heroine in a motorcycle shop in Daytona Beach.Instantly, I knew all I needed to know about her—that she’d come to Bike
Week hoping to find a vintage bike like the one she used to ride with her Dad,
and in essence, she was all about re-creating the safe, family-first
environment he’d provided for her when she was a kid.With that, I had my hero—her opposite in so
many ways—who had come to Bike Week hoping to sell his ex-wife’s old Harley. After some time when each was less than
forthcoming about who they were and where they were headed in life, this pair
next met in family court where she represented his ex-wife in a custody fight
for his little girl.

A great story, I thought.

My editor, Laura Barth, had a slightly
different opinion.

“Love the characters, love the plot,” she
said.“But Bike Week isn’t really the
right setting for a Harlequin American Romance.Can you move the story to a dude ranch?”

And, because I’d worked with critique
partners who’d suggested fundamental changes to my work in the past, I took a
deep breath instead of shouting, “No way!” It took a few minutes, but I dredged
up the advice Cherry Adair gave at a recent RWA National Conference.

“Of course, I can change it,” I said.“After all, it’s fiction.”

Thus Rodeo
Daughter was born.My slightly
steamy reunion story with a twist of mistaken identity became a sweeter version
of itself.One I love so much more!One involving a former rodeo star turned
family law specialist and a driven, career-focused prosecuting attorney.Though my character’s backgrounds and physical
characteristics changed, and though the plot gained a new setting, it remained the
story of two people whose first brush with love ended badly.When they meet this time, the stakes are much
higher since the story plays out against the background of a custody
battle.

Thanks to my editor’s suggestions and my willingness
to follow them, RT Book Reviews gave
Rodeo Daughter a top ranking of 4 ½
stars and named it a TOP PICK! for June.

Leigh Duncan writes the kind of books she enjoys
reading, ones where home, family and community are key to the happy endings we
all deserve (The Daddy Catch, June
2011 and The Officer’s Girl, June 2010.).Rodeo Daughter, her third book
Harlequin American Romance, received a 4 ½-star TOP PICK! from RT Book Reviews.Leigh is a long-time member of the Romance
Writers of America.When she isn’t busy
writing or helping aspiring authors, Leigh enjoys curling up in her favorite
chair with a great book. To learn more about her, visit www.leighduncan.com

17 comments:

Great post! I've been very fortunate with HQ editor feedback as they've always cushioned the good with the bad. *G* It's one of many things I love about HQ. And I totally agree that the editors know their business and how to make a good story into an amazing story. Looking forward to reading your book. Thanks for sharing.

Great advice, Leigh. I've come to appreciate my critique partners' viewpoints so much over the years, I can almost channel them at times when I'm revising and anticipate their comments. Sometimes I'm way off from their real reactions, but just the exercise of seeing your work through others' eyes does so much to improve the story.

So true, Kristen! It may not always be easy to take. After all, we authors--or at least this one--have a tendency to think every word we write is golden. But somewhere in the middle of the 2nd book, I finally learned to trust my editor.

"...a good critique partner will surround their criticism with good news, kind of like bread surrounds the meat in a sandwich." What a fantastic way to describe a good critique partner! I couldn't agree more. Thanks for sharing your insights on the difference between a critique partner and an editor, Leigh.